


Take Care of Yourself

by Aturgus



Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst, Gen, for a prompt, that should make it hard to find
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-21
Updated: 2016-02-21
Packaged: 2018-05-22 10:42:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6076302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aturgus/pseuds/Aturgus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the prompt: “I know you can’t hear me now, but I want you to take care of yourself.”</p><p>“H-hey, baby girl. Maybe you- I hope you recognize me, from some photos. It’s Mommy."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Take Care of Yourself

**_ “I know you can’t hear me now, but I want you to take care of yourself.” _ **

 

“H-hey, baby girl. Maybe you- I hope you recognize me, from some photos. It’s Mommy. By the time you see this, you probably won’t be as little as you are now. You won’t be quite as I know you.” The trembling woman in the recording takes a few breaths, calming herself. When she’s done, she looks sad and a bit insecure.

 

“I don’t know… if you care. I mean, you might feel like I _a-abandoned you_ ”. The last words take some effort to come out of her mouth and, when they do, they fall in a rush and her voice fails, as does her composure.

 

“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry, I didn’t- I don’t want to leave you!”, she sobs out. Her body starts shaking with her crying and she hugs herself, rocking back and forth in the floor she’s sitting on. It looks dirty, like her. The wall behind her, too – it’s its only defining characteristic. After some time, she sucks a big breath in and composes herself as best as she can, smiling a snide, if quavering, smile.

 

“But seeing me like this probably isn’t for the best, huh? Besides, I had a point when I started this. I won’t be- won’t have been around to say it, but I love you. My love for you is greater than life and death together can ever hope to be, know that. No matter what happens, or what you do, or what is _done_ to you. You will always be the brightest light”. Here, she her lips curve softly, fondly.

 

“It will be like your Grandpa says, ‘This one will surpass you’. I can see it in your eyes, you will. I have faith in you.” She stops and seems to consider something.

 

“Remember to be good. You are more of a mischief-maker, even now, so I’m not saying”, here she makes a mockingly happy face, blinking repeatedly, “‘be sweet, be gentle, coddle puppies and brush old people’s hair’ if you don’t feel like it.” She smirks on the screen, “I get the feeling you’ll be the “save the world, one riot at a time”. I mean, we’ve got a video of your tantrum when you wanted to stay up late…” Her levity is lost and her eyes become vacant.

 

“I hope it doesn’t get lost…” She shakes herself and looks ahead with a firm expression.

 

“Just,” her face promptly softens, “remember to be kind and… do the right thing- be righteous, as pretentious of a word as it sounds. Do right by others.” She leans forward, becoming urgent.

 

“And don’t forget to do right by yourself. You,” she inhales a shaky and deep breath, “are the _most_ important thing in my life. I don’t know what I’d do if something ever happened to you. Bear that in mind. I don’t want to guilt trip you into being careful, so I’ll threaten you.” She raises her eyebrows and points her index at the screen, wagging it slightly, “If I come to find out that you haven’t been sleeping or eating, you’ll get a serious haunting, little lady.” She smirks for a second, a quirk of her lips, but then becomes earnest again.

 

“I mean it,” she looks like she’s having trouble fighting her tears again, but ultimately her face, if not her eyes, stays wet, and her voice, mostly steady, “I know I’m not there with you right now, a-and I know I won’t have been when you need me. I won’t have been there to tell you to watch both sides of the street; to be kind, but to not let others use you as a doormat; to follow your instincts; that if anyone ever hurts you, you’re not obliged to forgive them; that, even if it seems like the end of the world, failing a test or staining your pant with blood on your period and having other people see isn’t that big of a deal; that that special someone isn’t worth crying over, but it’s alright to express yourself and your emotions however you see fit – as long as you don’t harm yourself or others. Well, as long as you don’t permanently or too gravely harm others.” Her attempt at a joke and matching wink fall flat, but she pushes on.

 

“My point is that I won’t be there to take care of you, so please, please, _please,_ take good care of yourself. I love you, and Daddy loves you, even when he’s being a bit of a tool. You are the greatest thing that’s ever happened to us, and will be the greatest thing to happen to a lot of other people. Don’t ever thing that you’re not worth being cared for.” She looks out from the screen for a few seconds, and then shifts awkwardly.

 

“Well, I… Think that’s it. Ugh, I had been doing such a great work of being the wise and loving mom until now, it’s just… I’ve never been good with goodbyes. Let’s be honest, I’ve never even been good at ending conversations, I’d just smile and walk away after no one had said anything for a while,” she rambles.

 

“I’d like to say something deep like “this is not a goodbye, it’s a see you later”, but…” Her face softens.

 

“I’ve done everything that I can,” she smiles, “Hopefully, some people will go home to their families. I hope you and Daddy have a long and happy life. I love the both of you- _so much-_

 

Goodbye, baby girl.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

The symbol to replay the video appears on her face, unaffected by the loud sobs ringing out in the room.


End file.
